The present invention relates to the field of floating boat houses or enclosures for storing and providing shelter for boats while floating on a body of water. More particularly, the present invention relates to a floating boat house for generally small boats and which can selectively be easily assembled and disassembled.
It is desirable to shelter small boats and other pleasure craft from the weather so as to, for example, prevent rain from swamping and/or otherwise damaging the interior of the boat. Boat houses and other shelters have, thus, been constructed and used in the past for storing boats while not in use. Permanent boat house structures tend to be costly as a result of the terrain or shoreline whereat they must be built and the type of construction required to withstand the weather conditions.
Floating boat houses or shelters have previously been devised which eliminate the need for permanent construction along the shoreline. Such boat houses are essentially adapted to float on the water and are tethered or otherwise secured to the lake bottom. An opening is provided for selectively driving the boat in and out of the boat house. Quite often the floating boat house is located adjacent a dock for accessing the boat while within the boat house. Boat houses of this character are, for example, disclosed and shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,273 to Cutler; U.S. Pat. No. 2,984,076 to Bradley; U.S. Pat. No. 2,887,975 to Smith; and, U.S. Pat. No. 1,643,464 to McCullers.
Although prior floating boat houses appear to function sufficiently well for their intended purpose, they are generally bulky and difficult to assemble and disassemble. Such assembly and disassembly is typically required in northern climates whereat the boat house must be removed from the water prior to winter to prevent damage as a result of the lake freezing over.
Accordingly, a need exists for a floating boat house which can easily be assembled and disassembled and, further, which can generally easily be transported as needed and wherein, when assembled, is generally rugged for withstanding the weather and waves.
It is the principal object of the present invention to overcome the above discussed disadvantages associated with prior floating boat houses.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages associated with prior floating boat houses by providing a pair of cylindrically shaped floats made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic adapted to float on water. The floats are preferably made of a plurality of pipe sections which have been capped at their ends and, thus, hermetically sealed. The pipe sections are selectively collinearly attached to one another so as to form the longer float lengths. The pipe sections are selectively detachably attachable to one another.
A plurality of spaced frame members extend above and are connected between the floats. The frame members are connected to the floats with saddles each of which include an arcuate portion adapted to fit over the cylindrical floats and a sleeve orthogonal to the arcuate portion whereat the frame members are attached. Each of the saddles are detachably attachable to the floats with an elongate strap attached to a side of the saddle and adapted to extend around the float. A draw latch on the other side of the saddle is adapted to attach to and draw the strap for tightly attaching the saddle to the float. In an alternate embodiment, the saddle arcuate portion is resilient and includes a longitudinal gap. The gap can selectively be expanded for snapping the arcuate portion over and around the cylindrical shaped float for attachment thereto. The frame members are preferably made of at least two generally arcuate sections which are detachably attachable to one another at one end and are attached to the saddle orthogonal sleeves at their other end.
A flexible cover made of, for example, canvas or plastic is stretched over the top of the frame members and is attached to the frame members with snaps or pile and loop material such as that sold under the brand name xe2x80x9cVelcroxe2x80x9d. The frame members and cover form a semicircular enclosure over the water with openings at the longitudinal ends whereat a boat may enter or exit. A doorway is provided in the cover so that, when the boat house is placed adjacent a dock, the enclosure can be accessed therethrough. A flexible flap is provided and is selectively detachably attachable on the cover over the doorway for thereby selectively opening and closing the doorway.
In one form thereof, the present invention is directed to a floating boat house including a pair of cylindrically shaped floats adapted to float on water. A plurality of frame members extend above and are connected between the floats. A flexible cover extends over the frame members thereby forming an enclosure. A saddle is provided between each of the frame members and the floats. The saddles include an arcuate portion fitted over the cylindrical floats and a sleeve orthogonal to the arcuate portion whereat the frame members are attached.
In one form thereof, the present invention is directed to a floating boat house including a pair of cylindrically shaped floats adapted to float on water. A plurality of frame members extend above and are connected between the floats. A flexible cover extends over the frame members thereby forming an enclosure. Each of the cylindrically shaped floats include a plurality of plastic pipes capped at their ends to form hermetically sealed sections. The sections are placed end to end and are collinearly attached to one another.
In one form thereof, the present invention is directed to a floating boat house including a pair of cylindrically shaped floats adapted to float on water. A plurality of frame members extend above and are connected between the floats. A flexible cover extends over the frame members thereby forming an enclosure. A doorway is provided in the cover for selectively gaining entry into and out of the enclosure.
In one form thereof, the present invention is directed to a floating boat house including a pair of cylindrically shaped floats adapted to float on water. A plurality of frame members extend above and are connected between the floats. A flexible cover extends over the frame members thereby forming an enclosure. The frame members are made up of at least two generally arcuate sections detachably attachable to one another at one end and attached to the floats at their other end.